City looks into what to expect if Majesty wins
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on March 16, 2014 1:50 AM
Majesty Rose just made the cut for the Top 10 on "American Idol" this past week, but the city of Goldsboro is making preparations for the possibility that she'll go all the way.
If she makes it to the Top 3, that means a hometown visit, said Kim Best, public information officer for the city.
That's more than wishful thinking, though, as the town of Garner experienced a similar situation a few years ago when contestant Scotty McCreery was in the running.
He went on to win the 10th season of "American Idol" in 2011.
And that could happen in Goldsboro this year, if Majesty's luck continues and votes keep putting her through.
Advance preparation is important, said Ms. Best, prompting her office to begin doing its homework and comparing notes with officials in Garner.
"We reached out to them. When Majesty was top maybe 14, somewhere along in there, maybe three weeks ago," she said.
Garner's efforts began when McCreery was in the Top 20, which proved to be "way too early" in the grand scheme of things, Ms. Best said.
"They really didn't need to start planning until Top 12," she said.
She learned that the show, now in its 13th season, has a very organized way of doing things.
"What 'American Idol' told them was if Scotty, or your contestant, makes Top 5, we'll call you and give you 72 hours lead time before we come to your community. We need you to have planned a concert for 30,000 people, for their hometown visit," Ms. Best said. "You have to prepare a parade, a special parade.
"And that's what Majesty will do if she makes the Top 3. They'll contact us when she's Top 5 but she won't come to Goldsboro until she's Top 3."
The status for the local singer will not only bring national exposure to this community, but potentially a hefty revenue.
"They told us they raised $60,000 for that one hometown visit. The town of Garner put in $6,000 and the rest was raised through the community," she said. "It brought in $1.3 million in that one weekend, because when Scotty comes, everybody wanted to see him in that concert."
The anticipation of the show's outcome potentially places a "fabulous spotlight" on Goldsboro, Ms. Best said.
Because of that, a group of community representatives have come together to ready for the possibility.
"We're calling it the 'Majesty Mania Committee,'" Ms. Best said. "Twelve to 15 community members have come together to plan for this."
A website has been set up, majestymania.com, which gives step-by-step information on how to vote for the local contestant.
"It tells about where we're having our hometown viewing parties, Wednesday night when she performs on the show, at Wayne Community College, and Thursday night (results show) we always have a viewing party at the YMCA," she said. "We'll always have up-to-date information and there will be more as she goes along in the journey. But we're prepared as if she will be 'American Idol.'"
A variety of grassroots efforts are already under way, including a submitted video of Mayor Al King wishing her luck.
"All of the contestants' communities were asked to do that and given a two-hour turnaround time," Ms. Best said. "Goldsboro met the deadline but not everyone else did in time for the 'home' theme show last week, so the videos have not aired yet."
Even though Majesty Rose remains based in Hollywood as long as the votes keep her there, you can still expect to see her popping up around town in the coming weeks, Ms. Best said.
"You'll see life-sized (cardboard versions) of her in restaurants. There's one at the Paramount, Parks and Recreation, she's at the Y, the Arts Council, the county's got one," she said. "We're doing that for the community to ask questions. DGDC is taking them to the local businesses downtown and they'll be moving them twice a week."
And of course, it's all leading up to the big splashier events that accompany the hometown visit -- a concert by the singer and a parade Ms. Best promises will be "unlike anything" that's been seen before.
"I pray we get to do that because I think Majesty will be so overcome with emotion and graciousness of what her community has planned for her," she said. "I want to see the expression on her face.
"I want her to see it, to be able to see what this community has been doing behind the scenes to come together and support her."
No matter what the show's outcome, Majesty Rose's appearance on the national TV show has already made her hometown proud, Ms. Best said.
"There's nothing negative about this. This is a fantastic, positive reason for our community to come together -- vote, vote, vote," she said. "It's a positive for our community and it's a positive to come together and support this young lady who's such a good role model. If nowhere else in the world, we need to vote as a community. Take advantage of all the opportunities 'American Idol' has given to vote.
"We have to show the world that we're behind her."